A subject that is fun and exciting,chemistry combines colour, sound and smells. It is the study of reactions, of the relationship between structure and properties. Knowing the properties, you can infer the structure and knowing the structure, you can infer the properties. This is what teachers must try and convey to students.
Category: Cover Story
Going global, losing the local?
Maya Menon My mother and her much-older siblings walked long distances every day in the hot sun or pouring rain to go to school – Malayalam-medium schools in the Kerala of the 1930s and 40s. They, however, grew up proficient Read More …
Let’s keep the alternatives
Sangeeta Menon
A school is more than just a space for learning and teaching is more than just delivering a prescribed syllabus. Education is all about nurturing the child’s sense of self which several alternative schools are doing in their small and imaginative ways. Will the Right to Education Act take away their right to exist because they do not fulfill the norms laid down within its framework? Will these alternative schools be forced to shut down by the end of this month if they do not comply with the provisions of the RTE Act? Some of the concerns raised by these schools are genuine and need to be heard if there truly has to be reform in education. These individuals and groups wanting to bring in fresh perspectives into education must be given their space.
Sexuality education: why we need it
Ketaki Chowkhani
In India, sexuality education has been restricted to a couple of chapters in the biology textbook. Whether the school or the home, people have been happy to scratch the surface of this important subject and not traverse beyond. It is necessary that schools and homes become progressive and comfortable environments where children can find answers to all their questions without fear and hesitation.
The playful process of practice
Gopal Midha
What is practice? What is the magic change that it can bring about? How can it be rescued from turning into a dull and meaningless chore? What do students think about it? Our cover story tries to answer some of these questions and suggests ways in which practice tasks can be restructured.
Evolving food habits in India
Kamala Krishnaswamy and Ruchi Vaidya Food or ‘annam’ is the basic necessity of life and existence and ‘annam’ is “aham”. We all need food to eat, to grow, to develop physically and mentally, to work at our optimal capacity, to Read More …
What are we teaching our children?
Simran Luthra and Mounik Shankar Lahiri
Democracy in /and education have long been buzzwords in any discourse in education. But to what extent have these concepts been understood? This article tries to demystify these concepts and touches upon why democratic education is desirable, what hinders democratic practices in education and what teachers and educators can do to practice democratic education.
Failure is not a full stop
Chintan Girish Modi
When a child fails, to a large extent he ends up getting blamed for the failure. Sometimes fingers are pointed at the teacher. An already upset child is labelled ‘lazy’, ‘dumb’, ‘stupid’ and we succeed in demoralizing the child. Instead have we ever asked, ‘Why is the child not interested?’, ‘How differently can I teach to create an interest?’, ‘How can I encourage my child and commend him for what he can do?’ As parents, teachers, and schools who have an interest in the child we have to take equal responsibility and help a child overcome his failure.
Retreat, review, recharge
Sheela Ramakrishnan
As teachers, many of us have often wanted to take time out for ourselves, to indulge in some quiet time, to pull back from the children whom we teach and just think about where we are heading. In our journey as educators, this ‘me time ‘ becomes essential, not only to recharge our batteries but also to become better professionals. Our cover story this month is about how teachers have managed to go on a voyage of self- discovery and personal growth.
Home is where school is
Sangeetha Sriram and Manasi Karthik
More and more parents are taking the courageous decision of not sending their kids to school and instead finding learning spaces in their own homes and surroundings for their kids. Why are parents choosing to walk this bold new path? Find the answers in this times cover story.